We all know about sleep apnea and truckers. The ASAA hosted a conference last year that brought together key stakeholders concerned about commercial vehicle drivers at risk for sleep apnea.We were successful in providing a venue where options could be discussed, particularly with respect to how the condition could be diagnosed that accomodated the driver.
We also made a point of highlighting the benefits of pursing a program of screening, diagnosis and treatment for truck drivers.
Following the meeting we thought about what a second conference would look like. We made the decision to stay with transportation, but to expand the scope of the meeting to include additional modes - rail, aviation and marine, along with trucking.
Working in cooperation with several of the regulatory agencies within the Department of Transportation we formulated a program that would be of interest to stakeholders across the various modes.
The subtitle to this year's event is health, safety and economic perspectives. The presentations will address more of the "why" addressing the issue of sleep apnea is critically important than the "how". We are fortunate to have a number of exhibitors who provide information the latest products available to diagnose, treat and insure adherence to therapy.
One of the highlights of the conference will be a panel discussion among medical staff from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Federal Railroad Administration, United States Coast Guard and the Federal Aviation Administration. The panel will be moderated by Dr. Mitch Garber, former medical officer with the National Transportation Safety Board. They will address the challenges of regulating medical conditions in transportation.
Join us for two days of information and networking in Baltimore at the Sleep Apnea and Multi-modal Transportation Conference - November 8 and 9, 2011.
